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Saladin Ahmed, Throne of the Crescent Moon


Larry.

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I finally got my review written of this (I finished it a month or two ago). I really enjoyed it and look forward to more from Ahmed. Excerpt from my review below:

Throne of the Crescent Moon follows a rather traditional model of sword and sorcery – a group of varied individuals band together to save their city. There are monsters of various sorts that need to be destroyed, there’s politics and fermenting revolution in the city, there is magic, and there is ancient evil to be stopped. The group has its internal differences, whether religious, age or nationality yet still work together to get the job done as each one brings an important talent to the mix. And the evil is mysterious and more powerful than any of them have faced before – as I hinted at above, it’s a near-perfect set-up for a traditional sword and sorcery adventure.

The world that Ahmed presents is clearly derived more from the lands of the Middle East and North Africa than the usual Western Europe analog. As someone who lives in the semi-arid American West and spends a lot of time in deserts, I love to see such lands portrayed in fantasy – especially when they take much of their mythological inspiration from traditions I’m less familiar with. Though Ahmed uses the lands of North Africa and the Middle East as a template to build from to great effect, he grows things into his own creation using tools such as monsters that feel different from those typically seen fantasy and the ruins of a long dead, magical civilization.

Dhamsawaat, a city of around a million people, is the jewel of the nation of Abassen, a nation that feels like a mix of ancient Egypt, Persia and Babylon with heat, deserts and a life-sustaining river built on the ruins of an ancient civilization. The journey of Adoulla and his allies is largely undertaken within the city of Dhamsawaat and Dhamsawaat is wonderfully realized – it’s huge with a walk to a different section of the city taking several hours, ‘traffic’ jams of people make it impossible to leave the city quickly, and lives of the rich and the poor are shown. The result is a presentation of Dhamsawaat with a refreshingly ‘realistic’feel to it.

Religion is a very important part of the society created by Ahmed and the characters at the center of Throne of the Crescent Moon. The created religion draws immediate similarities to Islam, though it’s never specifically presented as a stand-in for Islam. However Ahmed shows the diversity of people and the followers of religion with differing versions of piety. Raseed is the classic pious, religious conservative who has been taught that suppressing one’s desires is key component of religious belief, which he channels into his notable battle skills. Adoulla heartily enjoys life’s pleasures such as good food and drink and has quite a sharp tongue – however, through his actions as ghul hunter and care for the wellbeing of people, Adoulla shows an equally pious belief. Other views from women and foreigners are also presented in an equally refreshing manner as everyone quotes scripture to support their views.

Ahmed fully presents this traditional and religious society, including the usual repression of women and foreigners. With so much talk lately about female character agency and how historically-based fantasy settings show repressed women and minorities simply because that is how it was perceived to be in our own world, Ahmed shows how to walk the fine line and look good doing it. Through Zamia and the alchemist Litaz, Ahmed shows women both young and old who are well-rounded, interesting and strong. Along the same lines, Throne of the Crescent Moon isn’t a (just) story about young and inexperienced kids trying to save the day – it’s more about an aged legend and his equally aged colleagues stepping up to save the day ‘one last time’ (though we of course no it won’t be the last time). It’s great to see a fantasy that truly recognizes and appreciates the experience, wisdom and cynicism of such characters.

Full Review

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This book is insufferable. The characters are cardboard cut-outs with only one driving force behind all their actions, the story is flat and predictable and the writer has a tin ear for dialogue. All in all, this might have made a better YA fantasy novel if the author took out the blood and gore.

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I'm kind of surprised by the divergent reactions this book is getting. Seems like people either really like it or think it sucks.

eta: The period-losing-power thing makes it hard to swallow the story.

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Yeah. WTF was that?!? I'd forgotten that bit. Menstruation cooties, srsly?

"I read somewhere that their periods attract bears. The bears can smell the menstruation"

Sorry, couldn't not think of Anchorman suddenly.

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Even in books I dislike, usually am still able to find some merit in them. This one's an exception to that. The author built this supposedly great, awe-striking city with a palace that is beyond earthly luxury and yet he takes absolutely no time describing the world in any detail. We only have the characters reactions to what they are seeing. I had to completely imagine Dhamsawaat. I usually don't mind filling in the blanks but the author created no guidelines to go by, all I took away from the novel was that Dhamsawaat was a large city of roughly 100,000 people and it's culture inspired by Middle Eastern/North African.

And the characters.. an old jaded Demon Hunter, a young naive religious Zealot with a cool sword and a savage 15 year old girl who can turn into a lion depending on the time of the month. Oh just for spice there's a backdrop of the many vs the few in shape of Falcon Prince vs the corrupt Khalif.

Lion Girl: I am from the desert therefore stronger and better than you!

Fat Demon Hunter: You should learn some manners.

Lion Girl: Never! I am blinded by my pride and the blood of my ancestors runs strong in me!

Fat Demon Hunter: <something scathing/mixed with logic>

Lion Girl: Grrrr.. I shall begrudgingly apologize now.

And then 10 pages later the same dialogue is repeated. The characters are cardboard cutout's who do nothing but represent their respective backgrounds. They don't learn, they don't grow and they certainly aren't interesting to read about.

The only word left I have to describe this book is: bleh.

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wow, I guess this is turning out to be one of the those 'love it or hate it' kind of books. I enjoyed it and thought it was well done.

eta: The period-losing-power thing makes it hard to swallow the story.

yeah, that was...interesting. A lot of mythologies and traditional folklore gets caught up with weird ideas around women and their period, so I guess this is where it comes from. Though I don't think it's any weirder than a mythology with shape changine being dependent on the cycles of the moon (which the cylce of human menstration tends to follow as well).

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I'm only on chapter 4, but I'm leaning toward the "meh" crowd. I guess my disappointment started when I received my package from Amazon. I couldn't believe how thin it was for a hardback.

The writing is crisp, which is good, but so far the story is fairly generic. Maybe my expectations were too high, in that this would be an amazing new take on fantasy from a Middle Eastern point of reference (instead of European). So far or all the Islam-flavored God references and customs, it still feels like a generic fantasy.

I'm still hoping to enjoy it. After scanning this thread, my expectations are better lowered, so maybe it's possible.

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  • 1 month later...

From Saladin Ahmed's blog:

I’m writing this post because I am, not to put too fine a point on it, in trouble and in need of help. The sorts of trouble I’m in are several – I’ve been wrangling with near-debilitating physical and mental health issues, I’ve been unable to find work, and I am drowning in debt and unforeseen expenses. What’s perhaps worse is that – with the exception of twitter glibness, and a ‘faking it’ convention appearance or two – these things have led to me shutting down and isolating myself due to despair (online friends, I’m sure you’ve noticed what a poor correspondent I’ve been in recent months).

This post is my attempt to break out of that self-imposed isolation, and to reach out for help. Some things, of course, others just can’t help with. But the financial end of things – which in turn affects so many other aspects of life – is an area where I can ask for help, embarrassing as it might be to do so. So that is what I’m doing here.

http://www.saladinahmed.com/wordpress/pulp-pastiche-and-a-plea-for-patrons/

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Gollancz to publish Saladin Ahmed’s THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON

Gollancz, the Science-Fiction and Fantasy imprint of Orion, announce the acquisition of THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON, the debut novel by acclaimed writer Saladin Ahmed. Marcus Gipps, Editor at Gollancz, bought UK & Commonwealth rights from DAW via David Grossman of the David Grossman Literary Agency.

Gollancz will publish book one of THE CRESCENT MOON KINGDOM series in January 2013, while book two and book three will follow a simultaneous publication schedule with America.
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  • 1 month later...

I've just read this book, and it is short but very nice. It's the first of three books, so I guess any world building mistakes or character development should be addressed by the next book.

Now just gotta wait till Mid 2013

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  • 1 year later...

From Saladin Ahmed's blog:

The last year has, in some ways, been better than the one before it. Between the aid of others and my own hard work, I’ve been able to pay bills and attend a couple of conventions to meet readers. My novel, THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON, has been nominated for most of the genre’s major awards, and won the Locus Award for Best New Novel! For the first time in my near-40 years of life I’m undergoing treatment for anxiety. It’s true that the circus of different therapists and medications led me on a dark, half-year parade during which I was not able to take on much freelance editing work, and very little writing got done. But this long-term investment is beginning to pay off: I’ve got a good therapist, I’m on what feel like the right meds. I’m taking on clients again. And I’m **writing.** Regularly and, dare I say it, well. If all goes well, THE THOUSAND AND ONE, Book II of THE CRESCENT MOON KINGDOMS, will finally be done by year’s end, and out next year. I think you’re going to love it.

Plot synopsis for The Thousand and One:

Revolution has come to Dhamsawaat. The Falcon Prince, whose coup had aimed to feed the city’s poor, now sits on the Throne of the Crescent Moon. But he quickly learns that stealing a kingdom is much easier than running one.

Doctor Adoulla Makhslood forces himself to ignore the political turmoil boiling around him as he prepares for his long-awaited wedding to Miri Almoussa. His old friends Dawoud and Litaz in turn prepare to travel back to their homeland in the Soo Republic, accompanied by the tribeswoman Zamia Banu Laith Badawi, who hopes to put distance between herself and memories of her dead kinsmen and the warrior dervish Raseed bas Raseed.

Meanwhile, Raseed has left Dhamsawaat and his apprenticeship to Adoulla to journey back to the Lodge of God, hoping to purify himself of religious doubts and his troubling attraction to Zamia, and in the course of his journey he crosses swords with the master assassin and disgraced dervish Red Layla.

But the heroes’ paths cross again when the enigmatic Queen of the djenn herself appears with a dire warning for the world of men, and Adoulla and his old friends again leave peace and happiness behind as they set out to make things right in a world gone wrong.

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  • 4 months later...

Just picked this book up, my expectations are not that high based on the reactions I've seen, so...I don't think I'll be disappointed.

Just looked at the author's wikipedia page:

Ahmed was born in 1975 in Detroit, Michigan to parents of Lebanese/Egyptian/Irish/Polish descent.

Not sure how to comprehend that, but it sounds interesting.

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I read it the other day and am looking forward to reading it again, for not quite the usual reason. I enjoyed it - almost throughout - but felt the pacing was slightly out. Couldn't figure out where or how, hence the reread.



Yes, I felt some of the character interaction was slightly annoying. No, I didn't feel that it lacked a sense of place.



I am definitely on the plus rather than the minus side of the equation.


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  • 4 months later...

Saladin Ahmed wrote in March:

Some of the projects I will be working on over the next six months with your support:

–Finishing THE THOUSAND AND ONE, the sequel to my debut novel THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON, which won the Locus Award for Best First Novel, and was nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, Crawford, Gemmell, and British Fantasy Awards. I’d hoped to be finished with THE THOUSAND AND ONE by the end of 2013. Life with kids and mental illness, it turns out, has a way of destroying one’s best-laid plans. But I am close! About 75% of the novel is finished, and – if I’m able to focus on writing – I fully expect to have a polished draft wrapped up in the next two months.

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